Tap bushing and seal therefor



Oct. 19, 1937. Q RAlBLE 2,096,686

TAP BUSHING AND SEAL THEREFOR Filed Dec. 14, 1954 Snoentot v CHA7E$ a. m lBLE (Itt'omegs Patented Oct. 19, 1937 TAP BUSHING AND SEAL THEREFOR Charles G. Raible, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Fanner Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application December 14, 1934, Serial No. 757,549

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in tap bushings for fluid containers and more particularly relates to an improved seal and protector therefor.

Prior to my invention, tap bushings have usually employed corks or wooden plugs for sealing the tap rod hole. These plugs often blew out, due to gas pressure inside the barrel and also due to fluid pressure against the plug when the barrel was dropped, resulting in loss of gas or liquid contained in the barrel or both. Previous attempts were made to overcome this disadvantage but the various devices used have been complicated, expensive to make and not readily operated. Furithermore, when sealed with a plug the plug had to be driven into the barrel when tapped making additional labor necessary to remove the same before refilling the barrel.

The present invention contemplates eliminat- 0 ing the discrepancies present in the prior art and further contemplates providing a fluid seal for a tap bushing that is inexpensive, easy to apply, permits the barrel to be readily tapped without loss of fluid, and furnishes positive assurance .25 that the contents will not leak out or escape, and which is easily removed whenit is desired to replace the same. Still other advantages of the improved seal reside in positiveprotection against foreign matter entering into the tap hole and ,30 subsequently entering the barrel, and protection of the seat on the nipple of the tap bushing against impacts which might otherwise deform the same.

Still other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description together with the accompanying drawing where- 1n:

Fig. 1 is a vertical medial sectional view of a' tap and bushing together with the seal showing the position taken by the parts after tapping a barrel;

Fig. 2 is a vertical medial sectional view through :the tap bushing and seal prior to tapping the barrel;

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views showing two types of crown caps for use on my tap bushing;

Fig. 5 is a plan view'of my tap bushing.

Referring now to the drawing throughout 50 which like parts have been designated by like reference characters and particularlyto Figs. 2

to 4 inclusive. v p

The tap bushing may comprise a threaded hollow body I adapted to be screwed securely into an 555 opening, usually in the end, -of a barrel 2 and provided with a peripheral flange 3 engaging the outer wall of the barrel.

The bottom of the bushing is formed to provide an end wall 4 which supports a centrally disposed outwardly extending nipple 5. The nipple 5 is provided with a bore 6 which, when the barrel is tapped, receives a tap rod therethrough.

A flange I extends radially from the mid-portion of the nippleand as best shown in Fig. 5 is provided with oppositely disposed notches 8. l0 Ribs 79 extend from the outer wall of the bushing across the bottom of the bushing and up the sides of the nipple to the flange I. The lower surface of the flange 1 increases in thickness from the .notch 8 toward the rib 9,. which rib acts as a stop .15 limit to the rotation of the tap and permitsquick disengagement of the tap from the bushing. The tap forms a bayonet type lock with the flange of the bushing, the tapering .of the flange acting asascrew to .pull the-tap securely down onto the 5 nipple.

The end of the nipple is provided with an annular peripheral flange 11 adapted to'serve as- -a retainer for and to permit the nipple to be sealed by a crowncap l2, theskirt 13 of which is .25

crimped about the under surface .of the flange H securely holding; the cap in place. A cork gasket 14 is disposed in thecap and a thin sheet of aluminum -foilor fiber l5 may be disposed between the .gasket and the end of the nipple, .30

".thewidth of'thenotches 8 adapted to form a bayonet lock for the tap with the bushing. The free endofthe housing is threaded at Hand sup: ports thereon a wing nut 23. An inner housing 24 is slidably disposed in the outer housing. The 40 end of the inner housing has a flange 25 adapted for engagementby an inwardly turned flange 26 on the wing nut 23 for adjusting the longitudinal position of the innerhousing in the outer housing. The bottom end of the inner housing isprovided with a seat 27 and the end of the housing terminates in adownwardly extending :sleeve 28., A rubber :gasket or washer 29 is disposed on the seat 21 within the sleeve 28., The innerhousing has-a central bore 30 through whicha tap tube 3| may'extend. A coupling 32 extends outwardly from theinner housing through a longitudinal .slot 33 in the-outer housing :and is adapted to coupled togan air, or gas line for admission of fluid pressure from a container through a canal 34 into the bore of the inner housing about the tap tube.

A packing gland is provided for sealing the inner housing to the tap tube and comprises a washer 40 disposed in a counterbore 4| about the tap tube and adapted to be displaced by a nut 42 threaded in the end of the counterbore and adapted to compress the washer against the side and end walls of the counterbore and the tap tube wall.

The operation of the device is as follows. The barrel is sealed at the brewery by applying a crown cap to the end of the nipple and securing the same thereto by crimping the skirt of the cap under the annular part of the nipple. This pulls the metal cap tightly down upon the nipple holding the cork gasket and aluminum foil lining tightly against the upper edge of the nipple, effectively sealing the tap hole. A cap of this character is well able to stand a pressure far above the maximum necessary tomaintain the contents in proper condition.

The barrel being delivered to the consumer and the consumer desiring to tap the barrel, the tap is inserted in the tap bushing and the housing 20 connected to the nipple by the bayonet lockjust described. The wing nut 23 is rotated and the inner housing forced down, compressing the washer 29 between the housing seat 21 and the crown cap, securely sealing the inner housing against the cap. The tap rod is then inserted through the packing gland and the bore of the inner housing, after which it is forced against the crown cap with sufiicient force to fracture the cap and permit the end of the tube to extend through the tap and bush the desired distance into'the barrel. The packing gland nut 42 is then tightened which seals the inner housing to the tap rod.

The cap is preferably scored with a circle concentric about the center as best shown in Fig. 3 to assist in the fracture thereof. I have found that when so scored the strength of the cap is not sufficiently impaired as to cause loss of fluid from accidental fracture but at the same time it permits a circular section to break clean from the cap and thus permit easier insertion of the tap tube without disturbing thegseating of the cap on the nipple. The displaced section does not necessarily become entirely severed from the cap, but may adhere at one point and. hang downward beside the tap tube in the tap hole of the bushing as best shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a modified type of scoring where the concentric circle is interrupted in character. I have also found this type of scoring to be very effective in assisting the proper fracture of the cap.

Although the figures of the drawing illustrate the top of the cap as being on substantially the same plane as the flange 3, I contemplate shortening the nipple 5 so that the cap is below the surface of the flange, thus affording the cap additional protection against external blows which might dent or otherwise mutilate the same.

During transit of the barrel from the brewery .to the consumer, the cap protects the nipple seat against impacts which might injure it, assures positive protection against dirt getting into the tap hole, and presents a smooth exterior surface that may be wiped clean before tapping the barrel.

After the barrel is empty and the tap removed the cap still remains in place and insures that the nipple will not beinjured by impacts during handling of the empty barrel on the return to the brewery.

At the brewery the cap is removed together with the mutilated portion, making it unnecessary to remove a cork or a wooden stopper from the inside of the barrel as was heretofore necessary where the conventional cork was used.

Each time a new cap is attached to the nipple there is in effect a new seat provided for the tap;

and this seat .is cushioned by the corkinterposed 7 between the metal of the cap and the'nipple, all of which tends to materially increase the effectiveness of the seal.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tap bushing comprising a body having an edge surface adapted tosecure the bushing in a container, an inner side surface and an outer side surface, a nipple upstanding from the body on the outer surface thereof and having a tap rod receiving opening therein, the end of the nipple formed to provide a seat, and a crown cap disposed on the seat and sealing said opening, said inner side surface of said body and the inner surface of said crown cap being arranged to complete the inner surface of the container.

2. A tap bushing for a container comprising a body having an edge surface adapted to secure the bushing in a container, an inner side surface and an outer side surface, an outwardly extending nipple on the outer side surface of the body, a seal for the nipple comprising a crown cap, said cap being arranged in sealing engagement with the nipple outside of the container, the inner side surface of said body and the inner surface'of said cap being arranged to complete the inner surface of the container.

3. A tap bushing comprising a body, means to secure the body to a container, means to secure a tap to the body, a nipple extending outwardly from the body and provided with a tap rod. opening therethrough, the end of said nipple formed to provide a seat, a seal for the nipple comprising a crown cap disposed on said nipple seat and having a weakened portion adapted to be fractured by a tap rod and bent into the tap rod opening without dislodging the remainder of the cap from said nipple seat.

4. A tap bushing secured in a wall of a barrel and comprising a body, a nipple extending outwardly from the body and provided with a tap rod opening therethrough, the end of said nipple formed to provide a seat, a seal for the nipple comprising a crown cap disposed on said nipple seat outside of the barrel and having a weakened portion comprising a score mark substantially concentric with the tap hole adapted to be fractured by'a tap rod.

5. A tap bushing secured in a wall of a barrel and comprising a body, a nipple extending outwardly from the body and provided with a tap rod opening therethrough, the end of said nipple formed to provide a seat, a seal for the nipple comprising a crown cap disposed on said nipple seat outside of the barrel but below the adjacent surface thereof and having a weakened portion comprising a score mark substantially concentric with the tap hole adapted to be fractured by a tap rod.

6. A tap bushing adapted to be secured in a wall of a barrel, an upstanding nipple in said bushing, the edge of said nipple forming a seat to receive a crown cap, a crown cap on the seat,

a flange carried by the nipple spaced from the end, said flange being shaped to form a releasable connection with co-operating parts of a tap and said crown cap being positioned in such a manner that the outer surface thereof engages an annular seal in the tap when the tap is 58- cured to said flange.

'7. A tap bushing for attaching a tap to a barrel comprising an outwardly extending nipple in said bushing, the rim of said nipple formed to receive a crown cap for sealing the bushing, a crown cap secured to the seat and disposed outside of the barrel, a flange carried by and spaced from the end of the nipple, said flange being shaped to receive co-operating elements on a tap to releasably secure the tap to the bushing, said crown cap being so positioned with respect to said flange that the outer surface of the cap engages an annular seal within the tap when the tap is secured to said flange, and said crown cap being formed ,with an arcuate scored portion within the portion arranged to engage said seal and said scored portion adapted to be fractured by a tap rod.

8. A tap bushing having a nipple projecting from the center of one side thereof, the nipple having cam lugs projecting therefrom intermediate its ends, said lugs being shaped to engage cooperating elements on a tap to form a bayonet joint and to force the tap toward the free end of the nipple when the tap is locked to said lugs and a. crown cap secured to the free end of said nipple and positioned to form a sealed engagement with the tap when the latter is forced toward said nipple, said nipple being hollow and said crown cap being adapted to be fractured by a tap rod.

9. A tap bushing comprising a hollow body having an annular rim adaptedto be secured in a wall of a container, an inner wall integral with the inner end of said rim and formed centrally with a. hollow nipple projecting outwardly, said nipple being disposed within and spaced from said rim and terminating in a seat, a crown cap including a 'metallic portion and a lining crimped on to said seat with the lining sealed against said seat and extending across and closing the opening in the nipple so that said in- CHARLES G. RAIBLE. 

